He kept an eye on the clock. The circuit he’d turned on when he’d entered controlled the back corridor 220 volt power supply, which in turn, would have switched on a rather large piece of equipment that Parsons had finished a minor fix upon Friday afternoon. That machine wasn’t due to be taken back to the organic chem lab until Tuesday, which would allow Parsons and Kevin the time for a final checkout. Since the equipment required a 220 circuit and drew lots of amps as it ran, the convenient way to work on it was leave the unit on, but control the power to it via a circuit breaker and wall switch.

Kevin was counting on the fact that he’d turned the unit off via the switch when they’d finished up the work Friday evening. It also counted on Parsons having left the circuit breaker closed. Kev was very likely a dead man if Tommy had opened the breaker. He’d never be able to manufacture a reason to go access the circuit breakers.

“Okay, where are the disks?”

Marcus looked cheerfully alert, much more so than Kevin had hoped. He apparently wanted to get this over and done with quickly—perhaps more quickly than the spectrometer would warm up.

“I thought,” Kevin said slowly, “I left them on that desk over there.” Kev didn’t have to manufacture a hesitant tone. Saying that took up most of his spare guts.

“Why do I find that difficult to believe. No, that won’t do, Kevin. You’re stalling for some reason.” Marcus slid down from his perch and stepped closer to Kevin. He appeared to be expecting Kevin to make a mad dash for freedom.

Just keep thinking that way, Kev thought. Keep thinking I’m stupid enough to try a simple escape.

Kerchunk. The sound echoed faintly in the background.

A hum started from the back corridor. Kevin straightened up. Tommy had left the circuit closed. Step one completed.

“I was damn tired and it was late. I had a mess of floppies to put away and I have to think. Give me a second.”

“My patience is getting strained, Kevin. I know stalling when I encounter it and you’re stalling right now.” Marcus took a step closer and his skin began to ripple, as if new muscles, strangers to the human form, were beginning to appear.

Kevin nodded, both to himself and Marcus, doing two duties at once. “Right. Just getting things set in my mind. I left them in the other lab, I think.”

A low growl began; Marcus looked sincerely threatening as well.

“Honest. I’m just going through how I locked up in my mind. Retracing my steps. Don’t tell me you’ve never lost a set of keys…”

That brought Marcus up short and he then nodded curtly. Kevin would have grinned had he the spare energy; even weird, supernatural creatures lose keys. It was a minor comfort somehow. Kev snapped his fingers, “Got it. I came in here from the other lab, put two books away but kept the floppies with me. Come on, I went this way.” Kevin began a slow walk, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Marcus was following. He added, “You know how it is when you’re so bloody tired you can hardly keep your eyes open? I was having a hard time, you know?”

Marcus merely nodded, the sardonic look back as the skin on his neck and face began to quiet; he apparently was beginning to buy Kevin’s story.

Not good. Kevin increased his pace but didn’t add anything. Uncertainty would be more likely to keep Marcus primed for a shape change, or so Kev reasoned.